During my lunch break, I quickly returned home to cook for my sick wife. As soon as I entered the house, I was stunned and my face turned pale at what I saw in the bathroom.

Only then did I notice the thin red line running along Anushka’s forearm, diluted by water but still visible against her pale skin.

A wave of shame crept slowly into my chest, replacing the anger that had seemed so certain just moments earlier.

“How long ago did this happen?” I asked quietly, feeling the tension in my shoulders begin to loosen as reality slowly replaced my terrible assumptions.

“Maybe fifteen minutes,” Raju replied, glancing at Anushka with concern, “she was dizzy from fever, and the floor was wet, so she lost balance.”

Anushka looked at me with tired eyes that carried both pain and disappointment, as though she had seen the suspicion in my face the moment I opened the door.

“I tried to call you,” she murmured, “but my phone was in the bedroom and I couldn’t stand properly after falling.”

My throat suddenly felt dry as guilt spread through me, the terrible thoughts that had filled my mind now appearing cruel and unfair.

Without another word, I stepped forward and gently turned off the shower, the sound of rushing water finally disappearing and leaving the small bathroom strangely quiet.